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A project to replace what just might the simplest, saddest little two-unit apartment building on Capitol Hill with an eight-story, 71-unit development will take what should be its final bow in front of the East Design Review Board Wednesday night.

Designed by Cone Architecture and developed by Highpoint Investments, the project in the 200 block of Harvard Ave E between E Olive Way and Thomas will rise an extra story with its plans for 66 “small efficiency dwelling units” and a set of five standard “efficiency units.” Continue reading →

Seattle Police are investigating after a reported arson fire set a semi truck’s load ablaze on Harvard behind the Broadway at Pike QFC.

The incident began just before 8:30 AM as the truck was in the area for a grocery delivery to the nearby Bartell’s. According to East Precinct radio reports, police were interviewing at least one witness who saw a person acting suspiciously in the area.

According to Seattle Fire radio dispatches, the driver was unloading a delivery outside the QFC and returned to find someone had apparently set the contents of the trailer on fire. Continue reading →

There are big changes coming for the 106-year-old Knights of Columbus hall at Harvard and Union. There are small changes, too.

One of those is the end of decades of pick-up basketball that have put the hall’s gymnasium to use on Monday nights. It’s a loose connection of friends and family that some players have been part of from 8th grade into their ’60s. Other players have stayed in the game long enough to set a hard — but loving — pick on their children. Continue reading →

The future of Harvard Ave’s 106-year-old Knights of Columbus building is a massive adaptive reuse project sandwiched by two new apartment buildings, according to early planning by the property’s new owner, SRM Development.

The Spokane-based developer of multifamily and commercial properties struck a deal for the building and its two surface parking lots with Grand Knight Tom Joyce that will net the Knights of Columbus, Seattle Council 676 some $18.55 million, according to King County records. Continue reading →

A reported transformer explosion and electrical vault fire near Harvard and E Olive St. left a few rattled nerves and some smoke in the air but only Seattle Central’s main building lost power in an incident that began around 4 PM Wednesday.

Several Seattle Fire units arrived to make sure the scene was secure and no fire or live wires were threatening buildings from the City Light vault or nearby power poles.

transformer explosion 10m ago was underground at olive & harvard. you can actually hear it burning and sparking if you get near the grate

City Light crews were called out to sort out the situation and try to restore power to the college.

There were no reported injuries.

UPDATE 6/7/18 1:15 AM: Outages around the incident spread overnight with approximately 1,200 customers without power according to City Light. The department says equipment failure is to blame for the initial incident. Service is estimated to be restored by around 7 AM.

UPDATE 6/7/18 8:25 AM: Seattle Central will be closed Thursday “due to an ongoing power outage.” The Capitol Hill campus’s daytime and evening classes are canceled.

Seattle City Light, meanwhile, tells CHS that crews were working to restore service Thursday morning and were expecting repairs to be finished before 11 AM.

“They are fixing damage to underground power lines that were damaged in a vault fire,” a City Light spokesperson said. “We don’t know the originating cause of that fire yet.”

City Light confirms that the secondary outage around 1 AM happened so that crews could complete some of the repair work safely by turning off some equipment in the area. That larger outage of around 1,000 customers had been restored though SCC remained dark as of 8:30 AM.

Depending on how you look at it, there is another historic Capitol Hill-area building lined up for sad destruction — or to be part of much needed redevelopment.

The Knights of Columbus, Seattle Council 676 will meet next week to hear Grand Knight Tom Joyce discuss one of the biggest decisions in the group’s 116 years as “a fraternal order of men dedicated in our Catholic faith” — the multi-million dollar decision to sell the Knights’ 106-year-old masonry building at the corner of Harvard and Union. Continue reading →

Pratt Art Center is at the center of this future Central District development

Meanwhile, microhousing lives on Capitol Hill

A development set to create market-rate housing and reshape a key block of Central District arts and culture and a project that proves Capitol Hill microhousing is not dead will both take their debut bows in front of the East Design Review Board Wednesday night.

1900 S Jackson The plan announced in spring to create a full-block expansion of the Pratt Fine Arts Center in conjunction with a six-story, 160-unit mixed-use will move forward Wednesday night as developer Daniels Real Estate brings its proposal up for early design guidance.

CHS reported in April on the Pratt project as the Central District cultural center that serves more than 4,000 art students a year marked its 40th anniversary by announcing the venture with Daniels Real Estate. The art center today has 19,000 square feet of studio space in its two existing buildings, which will remain open during the expansion. The expansion will grow the campus by adding 75% of the block between S Jackson and S Main and 19th and 20th Aves. Underground parking will have space for 100 cars. Continue reading →

A new hotel coming to Harvard Avenue will likely be a Best Western, or more specifically, a Vib — intended to be pronounced with a long “i” as in vibe. The “stylish, urban” boutique hotel from the big brand will be just around the corner from Capitol Hill Station and could be the first of similar projects if zoning changes come to pass.

The new building on Harvard between Howell and Denny has been in the works for more than a year, and is now about halfway through the design and permitting process, said Jon Courter, a member of the ownership group.

Along the way, the project has gotten a bit smaller. Initially it had been planned for four stories of hotel, topped by three stories of residential units. But in an effort to make the rooms feel more spacious, the developers decided to lop off the top floor of residential units and have higher ceilings on each of six remaining floors.

When you are at the intersection of Harvard and Thomas and look around, it’s impossible to not be awed and a bit baffled by the utter lack of planning and engineering.

You probably have an intersection that confuses you or an intersection you hate. Leave a comment and we’ll see if we can console you with some sort of reasoning. Meanwhile, here’s one odd truth.

What’s wrong?

Harvard and Thomas… it’s one of a kind. As it heads south Harvard changes from a normal, comfortably cozy Capitol Hill residential street into a confusing mass of concrete with no clear use or direction. Continue reading →

CHS CALENDAR

Bar Vacilando is partnering with Food Lifeline to make a dent in the fight against hunger. We’re donating a portion of all food sales during the month of November to Food Lifeline. Join us for a night out, order any dish off our menu, … Continue reading →

El Centro de la Raza, located in Beacon Hill, is selling Christmas trees from November 23 through December 20 (or until supplies last). We are selling fresh and organic trees – Nordman, Noble, and Douglas Firs – available in various heights. … Continue reading →

Are you getting ready for the holidays? Let us help you with Greek pastries and savories to have on hand when friends drop by or for cookie exchanges or for the office holiday potluck! Click HERE to order now! Order … Continue reading →

With one exception, we will be meeting there the 3rd Monday of the month from 6:00 – 7:30 for the rest of the year. Thank you to Capitol Hill Housing for making the space available.Share:TwitterFacebookRedditEmailPrint